Cape Town: Three Global Travel Awards in 2025

Cape Town is racking up international travel awards at a rate few cities can rival. With three global honours in just seven months, 2025 has become the year the Mother City reaffirmed why it remains one of the world’s most loved destinations for visitors.

Cape Town Wins Three Global Travel Awards in 2025

In January, Time Out, the global authority on culture and lifestyle, named Cape Town the Best City in the World for its unbeatable mix of nature, creativity, food, and friendliness.

Then came July, and with it, two more triumphs. The city was voted Best City in the World by readers of The Telegraph in its 2025 Travel Awards and secured a place among the Top 10 Best Cities in Africa and the Middle East in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.

Each award highlights Cape Town’s scenic beauty, creative spirit, and welcoming hospitality, but together, they send a clear message: Cape Town is not just a place to visit – it’s one of the world’s most unforgettable destinations.

“Being named the world’s best city again isn’t just about bragging rights… okay, maybe just a little,” says Briony Brookes, Chief Marketing Officer at Cape Town Tourism. “More than anything, it’s a celebration of what makes this place unforgettable: the people, the energy, the views, and the stories that connect us with visitors from around the world.”

Why Travellers Love Visiting Cape Town

The Telegraph Travel Awards, decided by over 20,000 UK travellers, placed Cape Town above global favourites like Sydney and Seville. Readers praised the city’s beauty, describing how “Table Mountain rears as an epic backdrop” behind a city fringed by the Atlantic, with “the land ebbing down to the beaches of Camps Bay and the flicked tail of the Cape of Good Hope.”

Meanwhile, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, now in their 30th year, are considered the gold standard in global travel recognition. Thousands of travellers cast votes not just for Instagram appeal but for destinations they return to and recommend.

“These kinds of awards don’t happen by chance,” says James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth. “They are the result of deliberate action, smart strategy, and relentless dedication. From our neighbourhood entrepreneurs to the hospitality teams welcoming visitors with genuine warmth, Cape Town’s tourism sector is built on people who care deeply about the city and its future.”

Vos adds that the recognition is also an economic win. “Tourism supports thousands of jobs and small businesses. Awards like this keep Cape Town top of mind for global travellers, driving demand and creating opportunity not just in the city centre, but across our communities.”

Explore more about visiting Cape Town here.

Where Beauty Meets Cape Town Hospitality

Cape Town is known for postcard-perfect views, but it’s also a city that moves people. Sometimes quietly – like during a sunset walk along Sea Point Promenade – and sometimes all at once, like that first moment standing on Table Mountain overlooking the ocean and city below.

“Cape Town has a way of stealing hearts,” says Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism. “There’s a rhythm here that’s impossible to ignore. We love that the world keeps coming back for more.”

Duminy adds: “This is a feel-good moment for Cape Town and a huge shoutout to the people who make it the city we know and love. These awards belong to the chefs, guides, creatives, hosts, and storytellers who give visitors a reason to come – and to come back.”

Cape Town Tourism: Building a Global Destination

Behind the views and vibe is a city working hard to get tourism right. Cape Town’s success is not just organic – it’s strategic. The city is continuously marketed in international markets through the efforts of Cape Town Tourism and the City of Cape Town, with a focus on growth, inclusivity, and sustainability.

“This is proof that our tourism strategy is working,” says Vos. “We’re not resting on our laurels. We’re constantly innovating, investing, and promoting Cape Town in ways that deliver real benefits for locals and unforgettable experiences for visitors.”

Learn more about Cape Town’s tourism and place marketing initiatives.

Plan Your Next Trip to Cape Town

Three international Best City awards in one year? That’s more than a coincidence. It’s confirmation. Cape Town possesses something extraordinary, and the world has taken note.

If it’s been a while since your last visit, or if this is your first time in the Mother City, now is the perfect moment to experience it all. While Cape Town may be receiving global awards, it’s the everyday moments that win people over – the smiles, the stories, the sunsets.

See what all the fuss is about.
Start planning at www.capetown.travel.

Discover more reasons to visit Cape Town here.

This article has been adapted from the original piece published in This is Cape Town Magazine, Volume 5, specifically for the blog. To view the original article, click here or read the full magazine online at www.thisis.capetown/resources.